Maternal and Child Nursing
High-Yield Study Notes | Nursing Students
Purpose: A concise revision guide covering pregnancy, labor, postpartum care, newborn care, breastfeeding,
common pediatric conditions, growth and development, and nursing responsibilities.
Contents
1. Maternal Health & Antenatal Care
2. Normal Labor & Intrapartum Nursing Care
3. Postpartum Care & Common Complications
4. Newborn Care & Neonatal Assessment
5. Breastfeeding & Nutrition
6. Child Growth, Development & Immunization
7. Common Pediatric Conditions & Nursing Care
Study tip: Focus on assessment findings, danger signs, nursing interventions, patient education, and when urgent
referral is required.
Maternal & Child Nursing | Page 1
, 1. Maternal Health & Antenatal Care
Antenatal care (ANC) is planned care during pregnancy designed to monitor maternal and fetal health, identify risks
early, provide education, and prepare the mother for birth and parenting.
Key Objectives of ANC
• Confirm and monitor pregnancy and fetal growth.
• Identify anemia, hypertension, diabetes, infection, and other risk factors.
• Provide nutrition, supplementation, vaccination, and health education.
• Develop a birth and emergency plan.
Important Antenatal Assessments
• History: LMP, previous pregnancies, medical/surgical history, medications, allergies, nutrition, and social factors.
• Physical assessment: blood pressure, weight, edema, pallor, abdominal examination, and fetal assessment as
appropriate.
• Laboratory screening commonly includes hemoglobin, blood group/Rh, urine testing and infection screening
according to local guidelines.
Maternal Danger Signs
Seek urgent assessment for severe vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, severe headache or visual disturbance,
convulsions, difficulty breathing, fever with serious illness, leaking of fluid before labor, or markedly reduced/absent
fetal movement when movement had previously been established.
Common Nursing Education
Balanced diet; adequate fluids; prescribed iron/folate and other supplements; appropriate physical activity; medication
safety; hygiene; warning signs; follow-up visits; birth preparedness; and avoidance of tobacco, alcohol, and
non-prescribed drugs.
Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension / Preeclampsia
Possible warning features include elevated blood pressure after mid-pregnancy with proteinuria or other evidence of
organ involvement. Severe headache, visual changes, upper abdominal pain, severe hypertension, reduced urine
output, or seizures require urgent care. Nursing priorities include monitoring vital signs and symptoms, assessing fetal
wellbeing, administering prescribed therapy, seizure precautions when indicated, and arranging urgent
referral/escalation.
Maternal & Child Nursing | Page 2
High-Yield Study Notes | Nursing Students
Purpose: A concise revision guide covering pregnancy, labor, postpartum care, newborn care, breastfeeding,
common pediatric conditions, growth and development, and nursing responsibilities.
Contents
1. Maternal Health & Antenatal Care
2. Normal Labor & Intrapartum Nursing Care
3. Postpartum Care & Common Complications
4. Newborn Care & Neonatal Assessment
5. Breastfeeding & Nutrition
6. Child Growth, Development & Immunization
7. Common Pediatric Conditions & Nursing Care
Study tip: Focus on assessment findings, danger signs, nursing interventions, patient education, and when urgent
referral is required.
Maternal & Child Nursing | Page 1
, 1. Maternal Health & Antenatal Care
Antenatal care (ANC) is planned care during pregnancy designed to monitor maternal and fetal health, identify risks
early, provide education, and prepare the mother for birth and parenting.
Key Objectives of ANC
• Confirm and monitor pregnancy and fetal growth.
• Identify anemia, hypertension, diabetes, infection, and other risk factors.
• Provide nutrition, supplementation, vaccination, and health education.
• Develop a birth and emergency plan.
Important Antenatal Assessments
• History: LMP, previous pregnancies, medical/surgical history, medications, allergies, nutrition, and social factors.
• Physical assessment: blood pressure, weight, edema, pallor, abdominal examination, and fetal assessment as
appropriate.
• Laboratory screening commonly includes hemoglobin, blood group/Rh, urine testing and infection screening
according to local guidelines.
Maternal Danger Signs
Seek urgent assessment for severe vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, severe headache or visual disturbance,
convulsions, difficulty breathing, fever with serious illness, leaking of fluid before labor, or markedly reduced/absent
fetal movement when movement had previously been established.
Common Nursing Education
Balanced diet; adequate fluids; prescribed iron/folate and other supplements; appropriate physical activity; medication
safety; hygiene; warning signs; follow-up visits; birth preparedness; and avoidance of tobacco, alcohol, and
non-prescribed drugs.
Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension / Preeclampsia
Possible warning features include elevated blood pressure after mid-pregnancy with proteinuria or other evidence of
organ involvement. Severe headache, visual changes, upper abdominal pain, severe hypertension, reduced urine
output, or seizures require urgent care. Nursing priorities include monitoring vital signs and symptoms, assessing fetal
wellbeing, administering prescribed therapy, seizure precautions when indicated, and arranging urgent
referral/escalation.
Maternal & Child Nursing | Page 2
